The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business 
Reporter

OCCUPANCY levels remain “soft” for the all-inclusive Sandals Royal Bahamian through New Year 2013, but its general manager told Tribune Business that the resort expected to see a significant pick-up during the 2013 first quarter.

“We’re not full, we’re still soft through New Year’s. We really expect to see a pick up around about March of next year,” Patrick Drake told this newspaper yesterday.

“Currently, we are really running in the mid 70’s right now, but things are good.”

Mr Drake added that the resort would get a significant boost in occupancies next week. “Obviously, next week with the Star Awards, we will be at about 100 per cent, we will be full for the week,” he said.

The Star Awards, Mr Drake said, were an awards celebration for the resort chain’s top travel agency partners from the US, Canada and the UK.

He also recently told Tribune Business that the resort had suffered an estimated $1 million in damages as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

Jeremy Mutton, Sandals Emerald Bay’s general manager, told Tribune Business yesterday that the resort was seeing full occupancy going into the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Things are good. The resort is full, which is nice this time of the year,” said Mr Mutton.

George Markantonis, Kerzner International (Bahamas) president and managing director, recently told Tribune Business that the resort could set a new Thanksgiving Day “record” thanks to its highly-anticipated basketball tournament.

Mr Markantonis also disclosed that Atlantis was ahead of its booking pace for the December period, with New Year expected to be fully sold out.